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The episode goal: Introduce Danielle to Pipp’s audience, showcase her background in greenhouse system engineering and product development, and bridge her experience from greenhouse CEA to indoor CEA.

Listen to learn:

How greenhouse and indoor CEA truly differ

Why some high-tech vertical farms failed — and what today’s winners get right

How to design systems around the crop, not the technology

Key engineering considerations for multi-tier indoor farms

What product development looks like across strawberries, lettuce, cannabis, seedlings & more

Why modularity and crop-specific design are the future of indoor agriculture

Episode Breakdown:

Intro & Danielle’s Background

0:00–4:20

Meet Danielle Will — Pipp Horticulture’s new Product Manager — and hear how tissue culture, greenhouse engineering, and biotech shaped her multidisciplinary CEA approach.

Greenhouse vs. Indoor CEA

4:20–10:19

Danielle breaks down the real engineering differences:

• Transparent glazing vs. sealed rooms

• Air changes vs. recirculation

• Load density from stacked tiers

• Why controlling “everything” is both empowering and challenging

System Design Mistakes & Operator Challenges

10:19–17:23

Why expensive tech can’t compensate for poor design choices, lack of grower involvement, under-sized systems, or misunderstanding seasonal loads.

The Importance of Skilled Operators

17:23–21:21

Why mediocre systems + great people beat the opposite every time — and why true CEA success requires both biological and mechanical literacy.

Product Development for Multiple Crops

21:21–25:39

How Pipp is expanding beyond cannabis into strawberries, leafy greens, seedlings & more — and why irrigation style, tray spacing, airflow, and lighting must all be crop-specific.

Designing for Today vs. the Future

25:39–27:38

Why Danielle designs 5 years ahead — but not for a fully robotic future (yet). Practicality, accessibility, and modularity matter more than hype.

Why Past Vertical Farms Failed

27:38–33:29

The truth behind the first wave of CEA collapses:

• VC models optimized for tech, not agriculture

• Growing low-margin crops with massive capex

• Market misalignment and unrealistic yield projections

• Dependence on high-tech automation too soon

Future Crops & Underexplored Opportunities

33:29–38:54

A look at high-value crops that should be thriving indoors: wasabi, blueberries, seedlings, berries, specialty crops, and more.

Modularity, Crop Fit & Scalable Design

38:54–43:40

Why the future of Pipp’s product line focuses on:

• Meeting crops where they are

• Modularity across irrigation types (ebb & flood, NFT, DWC, aeroponics)

• Increasing plant density & uniformity

• Validated systems that scale responsibly

Rapid-Fire Questions

43:40–48:08

Danielle’s favorites:

• Crop to grow

• First concert

• Most underrated grow room tech

• Go-to resource for CEA learning

• Favorite veggie snack

• And what she orders at Mad Dogs

ABOUT CULTIVATION ELEVATED:

If you are a grower or owner looking to optimize your existing or new cultivation facility or anyone looking to cultivate more in less space, then this is the show for you. Each week, join Host Michael Williamson as he travels across the country, to explore the world of vertical farming and the future of cannabis and food production through his conversations with leading industry operators, growers and executives who are demonstrating success and resilience as growers and cultivators. Each episode provides stories and key insights that will inspire and show you first-hand, how each of these companies have overcome challenges, and found their own path to success. Brought to you by Pipp Horticulture.

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GET A FREE GROW CONSULTATION BELOW:

https://pipphorticulture.com/contact/

ABOUT PIPP HORTICULTURE:

Pipp Horticulture is the leading space-saving mobile indoor vertical grow racking systems provider. All Pipp Horticulture products are made in the USA and easily integrate with other essential grow equipment like lighting, irrigation, drainage, and airflow systems. Reduce vertical farming costs with Pipp Horticulture’s high-density Mobile Vertical Grow Rack Systems.

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